#Leliana Knight

[playstationmademe]

Kaleb Aren (SW)

Leliana Knight (RDO)

Tagged by @simonxriley to try this cute picrew, thank you!! 💜💜 Just two of my babies this time, they've been on my mind heaps lately 💜💜

Tagging @florbelles @teamhawkeye @nightwingshero @unholymilf @writingandsins @cybersmallz and @verai-marcel to try if you want to! 💜💜

[acrossthedrift]

Just kiss me so I know it's real.

[minaakaajaa]

The eighth episode in my Let's Play: Dragon Age Origins Let's Play! In this episode we are heading to Lake Calenhad and the Circle of Magi.

[omgkalyppso]

[doberbutts]

One of the really insidious ways black people in media get treated is that despite our stereotypes expanding outside of "thug" "slave" and "prostitute", we are still very limited on *what* we can be portrayed as.

It is no shock to me that the two black women in Veilguard, for instance, are either medium toned like myself or a nonhuman skin color (introduced as a woman). It doesn't escape my attention that the only black woman in Baldur's Gate list of companions is also a nonhuman skin color. Dark skinned black women are still considered too unattractive to include as potential romanceable candidates, as it *also* does not escape my attention that the darkest we've had was Vivienne who was simultaneously regarded as an incredibly unlikeable character by huge swaths of the fandom and also unavailable for romance.

But moreover- why can't the bubbley nerdy cute mage be a black woman? Why can't the shy but resourceful archer be a black woman? Why does the black woman have to be someone with their guard up, walls as high as a skyscraper, cynical and callous? Why can't the black woman be the warm and loving Wynne, or the somewhat naive yet devout Leliana? The stalwart and just Aveline? I know plenty of Isabelas, and Viviennes, and Neves, and Taashs, but I also know plenty who are Merrill, or Bellara*, or Harding, or Cassandra, and I even lived with a Sera for a while. Why can't she be Bethany or Morrigan?

The closest we had was Josephine, who again is still fairly light skinned, but at least she has a bit more flexibility. And she isn't a companion, so her screen time is fairly minimal if you're not taking the time to romance her.

*And I don't begrudge Bellara too much, as A: I adore her and B: I'm pretty sure she's our first visibly Asian companion which is a milestone in itself. My point is more that Bellara could be black with virtually no story change because I know plenty of bubbly chirpy friendly black women who have a deep love of their hobbies and interests, who are bisexual and even prefer women, with deep trauma in their pasts, and yet the choice to *not* do that speaks to a problem the media has in their depiction of black women that is far bigger than Bioware.

And it doesn't escape my attention that the men have this problem as well- Wyll and Davrin* are both regarded as boring by their respective fandoms due to the choice to play it safe and stick with the extremely good and upright and just knight character instead of giving them something more messy- Astarion and Lucanis could be black with, as said, little-to-no change in their storyline because I know-even have dated- pansexual former sex worker black men with intensely complicated feelings about sex and intimacy, and I've had plenty of ex-con soft yet dangerous men holding themselves at a distance to prevent themselves from hurting anyone as my friends and even extended family.

I know plenty of intensely nerdy and probably autistic black guys who will infodump gladly about their special interest to the point of it consuming them. I know plenty of black guys with martyr complexes who think they have to tear the world- and themselves- apart just to fix what is broken in this world. I know plenty of black guys who, despite their own inability to get their shit together, are like a port in a storm every time you talk to them. I know plenty of black guys who are extremely educated and well respected within their field, with gentle yet commanding demeanor. Any of these characters *could* be black, and yet they aren't, and the choice to do so is again far bigger than Bioware and Larian.

*Davrin, like Vivienne, being the darkest and first blatantly black male companion instead of potentially able to be ambiguously "of color" like Zevran, Fenris, and Dorian. Even more damning that they'd considered, like Sera, making Solas blatantly black in his concept art and instead chose to make him a pale egg.

As someone desperate for representation, it becomes quickly obvious as I take inventory of what roles black people are given that we still aren't considered as complex and nuanced and interesting. We're allowed to be more than we were before, but we still have a long way to go.

[ir-abelas-vhenan]

I've been thinking a lot today about how easily people condemn Solas for making the choices he did or for so regularly refusing the help and love his friends or a romanced Lavellan extended to him and how that's a very easy thing to do from behind a screen in a fictional game where you are able to (with very few exceptions) curate a world in which your allies are loyal and your decisions will go the way you'd like them to.

And yeah, it's a game and that's kind of the point, but if I were to look at it a little more deeply (and who am I kidding, I got back on this website exclusively to process the aftermath of Veilguard) I'd say that there's so much to be found in wondering if the protagonists in any of the other games would have fared better in similar conditions.

Apparently I can't stop making long posts, so buckle in.

What would Morrigan have become in a world where the Warden never stumbled upon her cottage with Flemeth, if she never got the chance to see more of the world and decide what she wanted out of it? With just her mother (who, coincidentally in this Solas-y discussion is also kind of Mythal) and no support, who is to say what she would have unleashed upon the Korcari Wilds one day when the confines of her cage became too much?

What about Leliana? She, too, suffered at the hands of a very controlling abuser who tried to convince her that one lifestyle was all that her future held. What do we think she would have become if not for a chance meeting in Lothering with someone who could help her face down the woman that molded her?

Fenris, a character MANY people are just fine with was incredibly ready to kill a mage on sight if need be, no questions asked. Where do we think his story goes if he doesn't have someone in his corner early on enough in the game? If he doesn't get caught by Danarius, he's almost certainly going to end up on a murder spree, and he doesn't even have Justice whispering in his head to do it.

Cullen. Just all of him. It's an absolute miracle he hasn't snapped by the time you encounter him in Inquistion, and even then you get the benefit of intervening at a critical point in his story several times over.

Almost every other character could face this analysis and I think we'd reach a result that suggests perhaps the only thing keeping them lovable is your playable character's investment in their well-being.

Enter Solas. We don't meet him when he's twenty to thirty something and on the precipice of falling down a dark path. He's been there for literal millennia already, and with the exception of one close friend he's been alone. And not even Felassan is enough because of the years Mythal had prior to that friendship to make Solas exactly who she needed him to be.

I've had shit friends before that aren't just good at isolating people, they're naturals. I barely made it through high school with my mental health in place (in fact, looking back, it almost certainly wasn't). When you think you've got a true friend and they need something of you, it's so easy to blindly follow them because you think your love is enough to mark someone's soul as trustworthy. Solas doesn't learn that lesson until it's too late, and even when he does he can't turn back: the spirit that was once Wisdom has been exposed to several of the worst ancient elves to ever exist and now he has to stand his ground rather than let it all fall, because that is what Pride would dictate. Admitting that the person you gave your love and labor and time to is a monster is hard. And he was alone.

Give me Morrigan after centuries with her mother. Show me Leliana after the years have become a blur and the only voice whispering in her ear is Marjolaine's. Show me the innocent mages that don't make it through if all Fenris has for years and years and years are the scars Danaris left him and the means to make more. Show me Cullen if he stays in a chain of command under a Knight Commander who knows exactly what he fears and holds it over his head for so long he forgets what it was like to be an excited kid begging the templars for training because he just wants to keep people safe.

We get companions in these games who are broken by the time they're twenty. Solas has spent thousands of years in servitude to a cause of a woman he believed to be his only friend. He doesn't know who he is without her influence, anymore, only exists physically in the first place because she asked it of him and then asked again and again and again. He doesn't have a witty band of merry fools to pull him out of that cycle. He has Felassan, but he has him during war after war after war in the hopes of freeing others from the very situation that torments him.

Trauma from war affects everyone touched by it, nevermind the fact that Solas is actively responsible for saving the lives of thousands and feels each life like a weight around his neck because maybe he can save them like he cannot save himself. We should always be worried about the people trying to do the most good. Who is looking out for them? Why are they so determined to help others? Could it be that it's something they wish others had done for them?

Solas certainly feels comradery with Felassan from working together to free slaves from the very people he helped put in power because Mythal told him it would be okay only to leave him with the pieces, but even the Solas that Felassan knows has been turned into an attack dog shying away from the touch of the very person it desires to be near above all others by the time their relationship forms.

The fact that Solas is able to try and show the Inquisitor who he is at all is a miracle as far as I'm concerned, a sign of a peaceful spirit of Wisdom who loves knowledge for the sake of it finally sensing that there might be a chance to embrace its nature again.

Yeah, if you give him what he has come to expect from people with power, if you let near-absolute power over the masses corrupt you, he's going to bristle and try to shut your inquisitor down.

But if you show him even the smallest bit of kindness? If you treat him like the starving wolf he talks about and feed him instead of fighting him? God, it shatters his entire existence.

It's called a cycle of abuse for a reason. Finding friendship, finding the love of your long-ass life can be the first step in realizing there's better out there. But the time it takes to learn that? When you're too weary to even reach out for help in the first place and afraid of every kind word or gesture because you've never known such tenderness (on a platonic OR romantic level, both matter so so much) before?

Part of the compelling tragedy of Solas is that it's almost Orpheus-like how he knows what he has been made into and still cannot stop himself from yearning for more, from turning around to see if just this once something has changed. You can't convince me that he hasn't spent years hoping that someone will hear the legend of the Dread Wolf and see it for what it is, a leash the Evanuris created for Mythal's whipping boy to ensure that even if he ever escapes them, the people he fought to save will hate him. And I cannot blame him for the shock and terror that consumes him when he realizes someone finally has.

You give me any of dragon age companions after the amount of time Solas spent under Mythal's thumb without your character's intervention and you tell me how that looks.

You tell me if they're able to change at the first sign of something that feels too good to be true.

And then, I want you to tell me they're any less worthy of trying to save, especially when you know how good their best can be.

Solas might be hard for some fans to love, but it's only because he serves as the perfect representation of the beast we are all capable of becoming when the love that sustains us, assuming we receive any at all, is laced with poison.

The journey out of that place, out of a literal prison of regret, is brutal, and I'm thrilled that even with the many things about Veilguard I'm still struggling with, we have the chance to let Solas try again with the help of those who love him not because he never fell down, but because they believe in the beauty of a future where he gets back up again.

[shem-fatale]

Dragon Age Inquisition: "Canon" Choices Survey Results!

Tell us about your personal "canon" Inquisitor who will make an appearance in The Veilguard? What were their choices? Answers to this short survey were collected via a tumblr post between June 11th and June 22nd 2024. I have since found out which of the choices mentioned will and will not affect DA:TV but I will include all questions anyway. Text version and tags under the cut!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1. Who is your "canon" Inquisitor and are/were they in a relationship with another DAI character? Female Adaar/Blackwall - 1% Female Lavellan/Blackwall - 1% Male Lavellan/Josephine- 1% Male Lavellan/The Iron Bull- 1% Male Trevelyan/Cassandra - 1%

Female Lavellan/Josephine - 2% Female Trevelyan/Josephine- 2% Male Lavellan - no romance - 2%

Female Adaar/The Iron Bull - 3% Male Adaar/Dorian - 3%

Female Trevelyan/Blackwall - 4%

Female Adaar/Josephine - 6% Male Trevelyan/Dorian - 6%

Female Lavellan/Cullen - 7%

Male Lavellan/Dorian - 12%

Female Trevelyan/Cullen - 13%

Female Lavellan/Solas - 33% Added headcanon comment from @spiders-scribbles: Male Adaar/The Iron Bull "Kas is played with the female model cause I hate how bulky the male Qunari body is and also trans reasons" <3 And another one from @doves-wing: Female Cadash/Josephine "i think they have an open relationship and so my quizzy has dated iron bull though that relationship ends before trespasser. she is still with josie though." <3 2. What combat class and specialisation apply to your "canon" Inquisitor?

Warrior/Two-Handed/Templar - 0% Warrior/Weapon and Shield/Templar - 0%

Rogue/Daggers/Artificer - 1% Warrior/Two-Handed/Champion - 1% Warrior/Weapon and Shield/Reaver - 1%

Warrior/Two-Handed/Reaver - 3% Rogue/Archer/Tempest - 3% Warrior/Weapon and Shield/Champion - 3%

Mage/Necromancer - 4%

Rogue/Archer/Artificer - 5% Rogue/Archer/Assassin - 5% Rogue/Daggers/Tempest - 5%

Rogue/Daggers/Assassin - 8%

Mage/Rift Mage - 30%

Mage/Knight-Enchanter - 32% 3. Did the Inquisition form an alliance with the Mages or with the Templars?

Mages - 86%

Templars - 14% 4. Who was left behind in the Fade?

Alistair - 5%

Loghain - 9%

Hawke - 29%

Stroud - 57% 5. Did the Inquisition give the Wardens a second chance?

Yes - 89%

No - 11% 6. Who rules Orlais?

Gaspard - 1%

Celene - 10%

Gaspard as Briala's puppet - 14%

Truce between all parties - 32%

Celene and Briala - 43% 7. Who drank from the Well of Sorrows?

Morrigan - 48%

The Inquisitor - 52% 8. Who becomes Divine Victoria at the end of DA:I?

Vivienne - 7%

Cassandra - 18%

Leliana - 75% 9. What happened to the Inquisition at the end of Trespasser?

The Inquisition continues in the service of Divine Victoria - 17%

The Inquisition was disbanded - 83%

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A big thank you to:

@themightynej

@rotaryshakes

@slothsoep

@ladyotakukiut

@ellie-shy

@spaaace-ace

@infinitediversities

@missrosequeen

@re-venge

@tokyopewpew

@ennayeliah

@alesdaer

@what-ever-this-is-man

@maintitle

@doves-wing

@filbert-weevil

@robinthewarden

@flashyxtemplar

@0rzammar

@bonniemikaelson

@darthbootchie

@gugle1980

@hawkgirlriot

@huneybumble7

@onelessvenatori

@stillpanicking

@stuckyonbucky

@wildefiction

@animusrisunovatur

@anulindale

@azinareens

@cullens-babe

@energeticbasilisk

@fadejumper

@humonster

@joyfulpolicehologram

@krampus236

@maleficarmage

@mortalitasdeeznuts

@soft4sana

@themagnusbane

@thereiswarathand

@touchofweave

@tyralily

@witch-light

@witchybullshit

@littleballofanxiety

@precious-gem-of-a-cat @onlypartiallystars

@spiders-scribbles @titanwolfackerman @nervousparsnip @sowrongbutsowrite @argonian-at-heart @too-caught-up-in-moves @yjannu @lilywasx and also to everyone who didn't want to be tagged, plus everyone who spelled their user names wrong! I figured out some of the typos but some of you left me some crazy riddles hehe. <3

[warcraftish]

As far as I'm concerned Tess/Lorna is canon but like, idk if "lady werewolf" and "her princess who is not werewolf" is sufficiently kottkrig-ish.

Anya/Lyana, maybe? Calia/Lilian is obvious but also bleccch in vibe. Maybe Forsaken/Ebonblade crossovers?

Lady Alistra and Duchess Mynx are basically ripe for the whole "take an only-very-slightly established lore character and make an entire Blorbo out them" thing, honestly. Or like, it's notable that a bunch of the Ebon Blade seem to specifically be nobility, whether high elven or Lordaeronian or whatever, so contrasting that with the various Dark Rangers and Deathstalkers, who at least seem to be more plebian, could be really interesting. Again, it's kind of "take an NPC name, appearance, and like two minutes of action in a quest somewhere and create hot blorbo-on-blorbo action", but.

For a lesbian I draw a tragically low amount of wlw stuff

Which kottkrig-brand lore character that isn't Sylvanas do the girlies like? Lilian??

[daitranscripts]

Cullen Deleted Dialogue

Cullen Masterpost

—

Let’s do something together. PC: I could use some fresh air, could you?

Cullen: Rooms in the Ferelden Circle were shared. Beval requested a transfer because apparently I talk in my sleep. PC: You do.

Cullen: They didn't speak often, but Carver was always loyal. Cullen: The recruits knew better than to insult his brother. Cullen: No one dared speak ill of his sister.

Cullen: …it would look bad if I laughed in the middle of an inspection. I bruised a rib hiding it.

Cullen: …but he just kept talking. We all just looked at each other. The mages were as confused as I was.

Cullen: I don't know what he'd done, but the bird was tangled in the jesses. I had to cut her loose.

Cullen: (Laughs.) Did you really? There must be more to it. What happened after that?

Cullen: Honestly, I couldn't keep my eyes off you. But we'd only just met.

Cullen: Does this one have a name? A fine bird like this deserves a name.

Cullen: I've attended a few Harrowings. Even when everything goes well, they are nerve-wracking.

Cullen: …and then traveled by ship to Kirkwall. I'd lived in the middle of a lake. I thought I was prepared for sea travel…

Cullen: I didn't tell Leliana we were borrowing her bird. Chances are she knows anyway.

Cullen: …then says, "She's from Kirkwall," as if I would know her. Kirkwall's a big city. I didn't go around introducing myself to everyone.

Cullen: If Varric writes a story about all of this, do you think I'll be in it?

Cullen: …it doesn't matter if you have magical resistance or not. Getting singed by a fireball hurts.

—

(I cannot find the plot trigger for this dialogue, but it is in Cullen’s main dialogue tree.)

Investigate: Have You Met Hawke Before? PC: Did you ever cross paths with Hawke in Kirkwall?

Choice dependent dialogue:

Hawke sided templars [1]

Hawke sided mages [2]

1 - Hawke sided templars Cullen: When the city fell to chaos, Hawke fought alongside the templars. Kirkwall would be in ruins if not for [them].

Cullen (met Hawke, pre-Adamant): I’m grateful for any help [they] can offer. Cullen (Hawke left in the fade): To lose Hawke as we did… I can’t imagine Varric’s taking it well. I wish there was something I could say. Scene ends.

2 - Hawke sided mages Cullen: A few times. Hawke stood with the mages when the fighting broke out. PC: You were on opposing sides. Cullen: At first. In the end, Hawke’s stand against Knight-Commander Meredith saved us all.

Cullen (met Hawke, pre-Adamant): I’m grateful for any help [they] can offer. Cullen (Hawke left in the fade): (Sighs.) [They] seemed invincible then. Scene ends.

—

Beginning of the romance:

Soldier: Commander! You wanted a copy of Sister Leliana’s report.

Cullen: What?

Soldier: Sister Leliana’s report. You wanted it delivered “without delay.”

Cullen: Yes. I said that.

Cullen: I meant to my office.

Soldier: Or… to your office… right…

—

I want to be friends.

PC: I’d rather we were friends.

Cullen looks at the PC.

PC: I should have said something before. I hope it’s not too late.

Cullen: No. You had my friendship before we—you have it still.

[faded-mage]

Cry for the past - only there does glory dwell. For here, the bow was strung, the sword bequeathed, the vows sworn. So glory was born within the hearts of elves. Sing for the past - where rests those who came before. For each Knight, a seed was sown, roots twisting with their brothers and sisters. So the forest grew, a reflection of our might

Solas

This is not the outcome I wanted, he thought to himself. The elf had believed he was above these mistakes, that his brashness only eased with age. That he thought through the possible consequences of his plan. Clearly not. The state of the elves and how far they had fallen was on his shoulders and his actions continued to hurt more and more of them over the years he spent asleep - spreading them to hidden corners of Thedas hiding from humans or under the boot of some oppressive human city.

The Dalish didn’t listen when he stepped forward to correct their ways, their misguided devotion to the elven gods blinding them from the truth. Despite that he was enraged at the treatment of what came of his People, these modern elves are not my people, he corrected himself firmly. They were shadows of what the Elvhen once were and a constant reminder of his own pride and failures. That was no matter though, all would be fixed once he pulled the Veil down and remade the world to be better than this one, before his disastrous mistakes.

Solas felt a strange mixture of pity and annoyance as he watched the unconscious prisoner at his feet. She looks so small. Fragile. A simple, mortal thing. He did not expect her to last long in her current state but he needed her to. The elf below him lay motionless on the floor with her wrists bent at an odd angle due to the shackles that adorned them. Delicate pointed ears poked through the curtain of dark hair that spilled across the stone floor. Dalish, he noted, the vallaslin that curved across her face indicated as much.

The markings were delicate, the intricate swirls danced across her skin in a fine white ink. It brought him memories of times long ago. Slave markings. They were symbols of what he fought against, what he rebelled against. But now they adorned themselves with the blood writing willingly to honor the ‘gods’ who merely enslaved their people before. Solas was unable to push away the disgust at the sight. For a people so determined to never be enslaved again they knew so little of their own past. A patchwork of incomplete stories guided them and most of them wrong. The markings she bore, he did not recognize however. Kneeling next to the woman, he reached out a gentle hand to move the curtain of hair from her face. This design is not tied to any of their gods. Or not one that I recognize, he mused. The lines were sharper than what he had seen before. If she survived, maybe he would even care enough to ask about them.

He felt the presence of the humans in the room with him, their bodies filled the air that pressed heavily against him. For most they would appear to be standing still but Solas could feel the pressure of their small movements while they watched his every move. Sighing heavily Solas pushed away the discomfort. They were waiting for him to give some indication that he knew the prisoner at his feet. That they were in league with one another to cause the destruction of the Temple and murder thousands of people at the Conclave. Solas refused to become their scapegoat and if he could help it, he refused to have the Dalish woman be blamed for his mistakes. The elves had suffered enough with his actions.

Solas’ lips pressed into a line as he pushed away the flurry of emotions that sat in his chest. He was well practiced at it, the look of indifference and eerie stoicism. Haven’s Spymaster, Leliana, was sitting in the corner to his right. He assumed she had been tasked with watching him despite her seemingly working on paperwork in the edge of his vision. From what he could tell she was good at her job. Her interactions with her scouts and others at Haven indicated that she was not to be underestimated, however pride swelled within him as he was confident that she could not and would not see through his facade. He had known the game much longer than she. The dungeon itself held a few torches for light, casting everything in the room with an eerie orange hue, that is until the magic lodged in the prisoners’ hand flared again. It bathed his face in a sickly green light.

The guards stationed in the room shifted uncomfortably, on edge due to the events of the last day. He couldn’t blame them, not really. Thousands of people dead at the Conclave - Thedas’ first real chance at a possible peace between the rebel Mages and rogue Templars that waged a war across the continent. Their only lead to those at fault was the unconscious prisoner that lay before him, who happened to be an elf. Humans had long seen the elves as lesser and savage, the Dalish even more so. Solas turned his attention downward, watching the woman carefully. The magic that rolled off of her in waves was not only caused by the mark that marred her hand but also her own magic. The woman in question was not only a Dalish elf, she was a mage and from what he could tell, a decently powerful one. This made her an easy target for the Chantry.

Solas pushed away the thoughts once more. Anger and a bit of shame stirred within him. He gently picked up her left hand and sandwiched them between his own palms. Tentatively, he pushed his magic into hers, tasting and testing it and the magic of the mark. It pulsated just under her skin like a heartbeat. The mark flared green again, the magic that settled in her palm was his magic and it was slowly killing her. No mortal, elf or not, was supposed to hold that much power inside of them. How did this happen? How did it go wrong? The man he had given the orb to, the one who was supposed to die after unlocking it for him survived and created the hole in the sky in the process. The Breach, a hole in the Veil that connected their world and the Fade. Where did the woman fit in to all this? As the Breach above them expanded, so did the mark on her hand. Eating away at her slowly, painfully. Nothing he could do would pull the magic from her. It was stuck, anchored there at least for now. For a brief moment Solas considered letting her die. If she died, would the magic die with her? Would he be able to regain the magic? Solas resigned himself to the fact that he needed to try and keep her alive until he figured out his next steps or at least learned new information.

A door behind him opened, the familiar steps of the Seeker walking into the dungeon with him. Cassandra, a Seeker, was frightened. Terrified even. Her guilt and desperation never did sit plainly on her face but Solas could tell it was there - he knew that feeling all too well. Her overbearing presence hung over him like a cloud as she approached. Solas had gone to Haven, dropped his staff to the ground outside of its gates and requested to speak to whomever was in charge. He had the knowledge, the experience and he wanted to help them in closing the Breach that threatened all of Thedas. He was immediately met with suspicion. While not surprised by the reaction, he was annoyed by it. That deep part of him remembering how the Dalish cast his knowledge aside because it contradicted what they thought they knew about the world. Those at Haven had no idea that he was their best hope at figuring out what to do next.

Cassandra’s thick Nevarran accent rang out behind him, “Anything?”. It echoed in the small dungeon room, startling him slightly as he pulled himself back from his musing. He was not a prisoner, not like the elven woman whose hand was still nestled between his but all they could see when they looked at him was pointed ears and the fears of abominations and magic. This world has been disappointing. The prisoners’ hand was cold to the touch as the green flare of magic faded from the mark. Shaking his head, he placed her hand down gently and stood so that he could speak with the Seeker. “Whatever this mark is, it is killing her. Each time the Breach expands, so does the mark but I still believe it may be our best chance at closing it. She needs to be kept alive.” Mostly for his own plans. Having to find a new source of magic to tear down the Veil could extend his plans by decades at minimum and he was growing impatient.

The Seeker made a disgruntled grunt, turning to the Spymaster in the corner. From what Solas could tell Cassandra did not trust him. Which likely was wise on her part but not beneficial to his own goals. A silent conversation appeared to occur between the two women, eventually Leliana shook her head and Cassandra nodded. As much as Solas had assumed, Leliana was there to see if he knew the prisoner - they were perhaps working together at the Conclave, that they were both somehow at fault. Thankfully, Leliana came to the decision there was no colluding between the two elves. The Spymaster had been sitting there the entire time watching Solas with the prisoner and despite Solas’ intentions he knew she would see no familiarity because there was none. Solas did not even consider himself of the same People.

Cassandra turned back to him, stepping forward. Her movements were aggressive, humans always resorted to aggression when they were afraid. “Then you will find a way for her to awaken and to slow the progress of the mark so we can get her to the Breach.” It wasn’t a question, merely a demand and it was asking a lot. “If you do not, you will be tried as an apostate.” So now his survival was placed on the unconscious woman, the one who physically fell out of the Fade. Great. The threat was not subtle, Solas bristled. The more he spent among the humans, the more he felt the world was broken beyond repair. Knife-ear. Rabbit. Halla-rider. Savage. He held back his tongue, his distaste sitting on his lips as the Seeker turned to stalk out of the room leaving him with a handful of guards and the Spymaster.

Another flash of the green light brought his attention from the door, a small groan escaping the woman’s lips. The best he could was to add barriers around the focal point of the mark, hoping to slow the spread for now. If he could give her more time, maybe he could figure out how to use the mark through her? The Dalish were generally not fans of humans so appealing to that side of her and having her leave with him could be quite easy. If she were awake that is. Solas turned to kneel again, his hands moving gently as he applied barriers deep within her skin and pumped healing spells into the rest of her body to repair some of the damage the magic had inflicted. Her movements and sounds of pain subsided and he found she was as stable as she could be. His steely gaze redirected towards Leliana in the corner, “She is stable for now. But I will need to get closer to one of the smaller rifts before I can do much more.” His brain hummed as he considered how much information would be enough to appeal to the woman, “If I am correct the magic in her hand is the same as the magic pouring from the rifts. If I could test the theory I could be more certain if her mark could have any effect on them.”

He knew what caused the rifts and what kind of magic came from it but he was not convinced the prisoner was going to live long enough to be able to assist them and he wanted a backup plan. If she, by some miracle, survived he also wanted to ensure he had enough information prior to stealing her away from the Chantry, the elven woman somehow making herself the center of his plans - and his failures. Solas gestured to the prisoner at his feet, “If she wakes then she could be brought to a smaller rift and we can test this theory… But we should be proactive in case her body fails her.” Hoping that was more than enough information to entice the Spymaster in assisting him and giving her a taste of what could be at stake to expedite her decision to aid him. After a few quick heartbeats, Leliana stood from her chair. She watched the apostate with interest, “Do you believe she caused the Breach?” The woman asking him tentatively, Solas could truthfully shake his head no, “I highly doubt she, or any mage, would have the power to do so.”

- - -

With the inspection of the prisoner complete, Leliana escorted Solas from the dungeon only stopping once to inform their healers to work on an elfroot tonic to continue to keep the prisoner stable while Solas was absent. He was in a precarious position. Did he wait to see if the woman pulled through? Did he cut his loses and run, finding another method to enact his mission? Did he run to the farthest corner of Thedas to find another way to deal with the Breach? All of his plans up to this point, including the Veil, had failed or gone incredibly wrong. The world as it was attested to that. The other part of him, the academic, the seeker of knowledge, wanted to see if the woman survived. If she did, she had experienced something that no one else in that world had and the knowledge she would have of the Fade called to him.

He hoped getting closer to one of the rifts, studying it up close may give him more answers than questions and give him better footing on what his next steps were. Somehow he had convinced Leliana that studying the rift up close was important, important enough for her to bring it up to the Seeker. Solas requested a few soldiers and himself to find a nearby rift to study up close. If it weren’t for Leliana’s persistence, Solas feared there would be no way in swaying Cassandra.

Varric Tethras, a child of stone, was another one of Cassandra’s prisoners. Though he was not chained up in the Chantry dungeons like the elven woman. From what Solas gathered on their brief meetings with one another, Varric had information that the Seeker wanted him to speak about at the Conclave. With the Conclave destroyed, his involvement was no longer necessary. He stayed anyway. Solas and the dwarf only met a handful of times since he arrived at Haven and they developed some familiarity with one another - mostly at the insistence of Varric himself. Solas did not mind him at all. The dwarf was significantly more pleasant than any of the humans he interacted with up to that point but there was something about how the man looked at everyone - like he could absorb their secrets and Solas had plenty of those he wanted to hide.

The elf and the dwarf stood outside of Leliana’s tent, mirroring each other as they folded their arms across their chests. Inside the tent they could hear Cassandra and Leliana speaking heatedly, whispers about what to do next. “They fighting over you, Chuckles?” Varric breaking the silence with his attempt at humor, glancing up towards Solas before his attention returned to the tent. Solas’ lips quirked at the edge, “Not in the way you are hoping, Master Tethras.” Varric blanched, looking at Solas in surprise. A wide smile dancing across his lips. “Chuckles. Did I just hear you right? You have a sense of humor?” The child of stone could be abrasive, just as stone itself can be, Solas mused but his humor was disarming and he earned the half-smile on Solas’ lips as they spoke, waiting for the final decision.

From the sounds wafting from the tent, Solas was concerned that Leliana was losing. After a few more minutes of angry whispers the two women exited the tent. Cassandra scoffed before stalking back towards the Chantry, presumably to watch the prisoner. The Spymaster made her way towards Solas and Varric, her face betraying that she had won the discussion. “You will be escorted to a rift that has appeared between here and one of our forward camps. You will have a few of my scouts and a Templar with you.” Solas raised an eyebrow slightly. A Templar? He assumed the soldier would be there to protect others from him and not to protect him. He was in no real position to argue and he had gotten the majority of what he wanted from the exchange. Besides, if he were honest with himself he was faster than a Templar even in his somewhat weakened state so if he did need to flee for any reason he would be gone before anyone noticed. “And a dwarf!” Varric announced besides him, patting the crossbow that sat at his shoulder with his hand. Leliana did not seem to care or hear as she did not argue with the addition to the party. Eventually the Spymaster turned to follow Cassandra back to the Chantry and Solas and Varric were left to prepare for their departure.

- - -

It took little time for Solas and Varric to ready themselves and they found their entourage just outside of Haven’s gates. Just as Leliana had promised, there were a small number of scouts and a single Templar. Solas could feel the weight of the Templar’s gaze on him from behind his helm anytime he moved, so the elf opted to keep his movements minimal when possible. Did not want the soldier to get nervous for no reason and end up with a sword in his back.

Once they set off the trek to the small rift was uneventful. The whirling Breach in the sky was oppressive and the majority of the group did not speak during their journey at all. Even the scouts gave Solas a wide berth, though that did not surprise him at all. Varric on the other hand seemed pleased enough at being outside of Haven to try and strike up conversation with the scouts, once again disarming those around him with his charm and wit. Solas was impressed by the dwarfs’ ability to ease the tension and was silently thankful for it. Even the Templar’s body language relaxed.

As they approached the rift, demons and other horrors began to crawl through the opening into their world. First seeing sharp claws tearing at the edges of the rift. The group dispatched the small group of demons with ease. Approaching the rift slowly, he could feel the undeniable pull of the Fade. The feeling was like being home. He had enough time to raise his hand, pushing and pulling at the magic that swirled around the rift in the Veil until pools of green appeared on the ground around them, sparking demons and horrors to crawl through to their side once again. At least today would not be boring.

[playstationmademe]

Leliana Knight (RDO) | Maverick Morgan (RDO)

Willow (DnD) | Nova "V" Pearce (C2077)

Tagged by @florbelles to try this picrew, thankyou lovely! 💜💜

Tagging @simonxriley @verai-marcel @cybersmallz @udonnoodlz @teamhawkeye @unholymilf and @nightwingshero to try! 💜💜

[sparkliest-bard-bracket]

Congratulations to ✨FREDDIE MERCURY✨ for being crowned the ✨SPARKLIEST BARD✨ in all the land!!!!

🎶HE. IS. THE CHAMPION. 🎶

Over the course of this bracket, he has faced off against many worthy bards, including an inter-dimensional storyteller, multiple irl musical artists, an immortal musically talented war criminal, and a muppet, and he proved himself to be the most sparkliest of them all.

Excellent singing, excellent piano playing, excellent songwriting, excellent fashion sense, and overall ~glamour~, Freddie Mercury has it all. Here are some of my favorite of Freddie's bardly moments, and feel free to reblog and add your own to celebrate our Bardly Champion!:

And to honor Freddie Mercury's wonderful legacy, I present my favorite Bohemian Rhapsody video ever -- he didn't even need to be alive to have a concert!:

And while we celebrate and throw a Queen-themed party for our Champion of Bards, do not forget to give a round of applause to all of the incredible bards who participated in this bardly showdown!! You can find all of their names and fandoms, along with the full completed bracket under the cut :D

That's all from me for now, folks!! I may make a poll for 3rd place if people are interested, and if people are very enthusiastic, I might make a round 2: fictional characters only! Lemme know if you'd be interested in either of those things, and thank you oh so much for your support through this whole bracket, and have a wonderful day all you fantastic bards and bard fans!!!

Complete Bracket in image format:

And the names and fandoms of all of our bards from the whole bracket!:

Jareth the Goblin King (Labyrinth)

David Bowie (Real Life)

Thom Merrilin (Wheel of Time)

Gurney Halleck (Dune)

The Bard/Kiwi (Wandersong)

Daeron (The Silmarillion)

Callie Cuttlefish (Splatoon)

Finrod (The Silmarillion)

Apollo/Lester Papadopoulos (The Trials of Apollo)

Apollo (Greek Mythology)

Bill Cypher (Gravity Falls)

Chong (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Max Rebo (Star Wars)

Edgin Darvis (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves)

Dimentio (Super Paper Mario)

Will Scarlet (Robin Hood)

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (The Muppets)

Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Katalina (Tabletop Time)

Starling Birdsong (Realm of the Elderlings)

Orpheus (Greek Mythology)

“Weird Al” Yankovic (Real Life)

Dave BruBot/The Major Player (Toontown: Corporate Clash)

Carrie Wilson (Julie and the Phantoms)

Kvothe (The Kingkiller Chronicle)

Elan (Order of the Stick)

Raz'ul, Son of Daz'ul (BomBARDed)

Edward Chris von Muir (Final Fantasy IV)

Binary Bard (Poptropica)

Christian (Moulin Rouge)

The Bard (Shovel Knight)

Fflewddur Fflam (The Chronicles of Prydain)

Man with the Harmonica (Once Upon a Time in the West)

Kyoami/The Fool (Ran/King Lear)

Diedrich Knickerbocker (Headless: A Sleepy Hollow Story)

Hannah Montana (Hannah Montana)

Bard the Bowman (The Hobbit)

Leliana (Dragon Age)

Sprig Plantar (Amphibia)

Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer)

Neil Banging Out the Tunes (Tumblr)

The Muses (Disney Hercules)

Robinton (Pern)

Thistle/Sissel (Delicious in Dungeon)

Loquatius Seelie (Critical Role)

Cicero (Skyrim)

Michael Jackson (Real Life)

Oli/TheOrionSound (Empires SMP)

Megamind (Megamind)

The Onceler (The Lorax)

Mettaton (Undertale)

Gamzee Makara (Homestuck)

William Shakespeare (Real Life)

William Shakespeare (Something Rotten)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Classicaloid)

William Shamspeare (Ace Attorney)

Marceline the Vampire Queen (Adventure Time)

Brook (One Piece)

Gerard Way (Real Life)

Sea Hawk (She-Ra and the Princess of Power)

Snufkin (Moomin)

Frank Sinatra (Real Life)

Lias "Cliff" Bluestone (Discworld)

Rick Astley (Real Life)

Alan-a-Dale (Robin Hood)

Essi Daven (The Witcher)

Lúthien Tinúviel (The Silmarillion)

Stefen (The Heralds of Valdemar)

Roman Sanders (Sanders Sides)

Remus Sanders (Sanders Sides)

Bard (Crypt of the Necrodancer)

Kass (Legend of Zelda/Breath of the Wild)

Steven Universe (Steven Universe)

Glenn Close (Dungeons & Daddies)

Miss Piggy (The Muppets)

Nydas Okiro (Critical Role)

Charlie Pace (Lost)

Dob the Half-Orc Bard (Oxventure)

Kitagra (Kings of the Wyld)

Kaylie Shorthalt (Critical Role)

Father Gabriel (The Mission)

Gabrielle the Battling Bard (Xena: The Warrior Princess)

Haer'Dalis (Baldur's Gate)

Tsukasa Tenma (Project Sekai: Colorful Stage!)

Tom Bombadil (The Lord of the Rings)

Sylvando (Dragon Quest 11)

Steve McKenzie/Jester (Galavant)

Gieve (The Heroic Legend of Arslan)

Jaskier/Dandelion (The Witcher)

Kubo (Kubo and the Two Strings)

Guiliastes/Gui (1/2 Prince)

Rocky (Lackadaisy)

Asmodean (Wheel of Time)

Neil Cicierega/Lemon Demon (Real Life)

Kermit the Bard (Tales of Tinkerdee)

The Pied Piper (The Pied Piper of Hamelin)

Venti (Genshin Impact)

Sir Robin's Minstrels (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming)

Franz Liszt (Classicaloid)

Eddie Munson (Stranger Things)

Puss in Boots (Shrek)

Freddie Mercury (Real Life)

Hoid/Wit (Cosmere)

Noise (Roleslaying with Roman)

The Amazing Devil (Real Life)

Klavier Gavin (Ace Attorney)

Rickety Stitch (Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo)

Ron Stampler (Dungeons & Daddies)

Thancred Waters (Final Fantasy XIV)

Raine Whispers (The Owl House)

Jack Black (Real Life)

Scanlan Shorthalt (Critical Role)

Éile (The Witcher: Blood Origin)

Hap Gladheart (Realm of the Elderlings)

Alastair Nobledrifter (Saving Throw - DnD Podcast)

Maglor (The Silmarillion)

Bill & Ted (Bill & Ted)

DJ Cadence (Club Penguin)

Imp Y Celyn (Discworld)

Bard Otter (The Last Dragonlord)

Yara of Nowhere, the Wandering Bard (A Practical Guide to Evil)

Dorian Storm (Critical Role)

Maria von Trapp (The Sound of Music)

Demyx (Kingdom Hearts)

Hisirdoux "Douxie" Casperan (Tales of Arcadia: Wizards)

Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit)

BMO (Adventure Time)

[invinciblerodent]

yeah, you know what, I nuked this post last night because I got very uncertain about the room immediately after posting, but after some further scrutiny, I'm reposting it now with some slightly calmer, more hinged commentary lol

consensus seems to be (from the tweet I initially was going off of about the view from his room, and the qunari paraphernalia and training equipment in the basement-room kind of confirming that that one must be Taash's, despite this one having a lot of dragons in it) that this IS indeed Davrin's room, and I wanna talk about some (though not all) parts of interest in it!

Overall the room looks very airy and open, but cozy and warm, if a touch on the sparse side- I'm getting a little bit of a hunter's lodge vibe, which is fitting for a monster hunter like him.

1.) he apparently loves nugs. and dragons. and bears. and animals, and learning about animals in general, if those diagrams are anything to go by. and I love that for him.

2.) no seriously there are six wooden nug bobblehead-looking things visible just in this one snapshot in his room. this man is INTO nugs. (I hope he and Leliana get to meet. he deserves to pet Schmooples XIV.)

3.) his carving station! it seems to be a fairly common Warden hobby, and he seems to take it seriously too- just look at that dragon's wing and how thin the part it attaches to the body with is, he's very skilled!

he was making something in this piece of promo art too!

3.5.) please ser Davrin please i want a little carved nug as a little gift i would cherish it forever i wouldn't ask for anything else for the next 20 birthdays i have please

4. Assan's "landing pad", maybe? I like the thought of him taking little nightly laps around the Lighthouse, but geez, it looks so dangerous to have the wall just open like that- must feel the most like sleeping under the open air though?

4.5.) from this and Taash's open ceiling I'm guessing that it just fully does not rain at the Lighthouse, which is great, no wet griffon smell in bed

5.) really loving that Veilfire sconce on the wall- it looks exactly like the asset from Inquisition, and it could be a pretty subtle hint to something Dalish going on!

6.) the clothes/blankets/whatever those are on the cozy chair seem to mirror the colors of his outfit, the Warden blue and the light brown leather- is he perhaps prone to leaving his clothes strewn about? 👀 both Wardens and the Dalish should be used to traveling a lot and living light, so it would make sense for him to not be a super neat person overall! (maybe the only reason the room isn't a right mess is that he doesn't have many possessions, they don't even fill both bookcases)

7.) god if Rook doesn't get to cuddle with him in his cozy chair by the fire (or on those furs, I'm not picky) and watch the sunrise together after a night of vigorous lovemaking that tests the limits of even that fabled Grey Warden stamina, I am going to be very, very sad

8.) Davrin darling. why do you have this. and does it really need to watch. ..... can we turn it so it faces the wall at least. god, Dorian was right (among various other things) about the horrible little feet nugs possess.

anyway the trend continues and everything I learn about this guy makes me want to eat one (1) more brick altogether until i assemble a castle in my stomach from which he can rescue me like the charming knight he is, thank u for ur time

[wardenss]

inquisitor artemis trevelyan

˚∘⊰⋆ about ⋆⊱∘˚ age: 28 pronouns: they/she class: knight enchanter mage belief: doesn't believe in the maker and despises the "herald of andraste" title being forced upon them strengths: altruistic, diligent, empathetic, headstrong weaknesses: reserved, emotionally repressed, stubborn, overthinker

˚∘⊰⋆ companions ⋆⊱∘˚ closest: dorian, josephine, sera, solas on good terms: cole, iron bull, varric neutral: blackwall, cassandra, leliana, vivienne dislike: none it's complicated: cullen

[callahanisms]

knight in shining armor

pairing: cullen rutherford x gender neutral! reader

premise: a royal au, featuring cullen as a member of your royal guard.

♡ cullen rutherford, your knight in shining armor since you were young. a righteous boy who grew up into a righteous man, protecting you from dangers beyond the walls of your castle and imperial spies.

♡ cullen rutherford, who was brash and outspoken, who would talk back to his superiors for interacting with royalty when he himself was nothing more than a peasant.

♡ cullen rutherford, a boy punished for rumors untrue.

♡ cullen rutherford, who became a knight and popular amongst your kingdom subjects.

♡ cullen rutherford, who became a hero in the war against an imposing empire that threatened to swallow your country whole. you were a hero strategist and he the heroic knight-commander.

♡ cullen rutherford, who gained a promotion from your father. “any position.” he said. it almost seemed too good to be true.

♡ cullen rutherford, who asked to be part of the royal guard. “nothing would bring me more honor than to protect you and your family, your greatness.”

♡ cullen rutherford, who also got a mabari with his promotion. he was more than ecstatic considering that he’s wanted once since he was a kid.

♡ cullen rutherford, who learns it was you who got him the mabari hound he’s wanted. your act of generosity would not go unnoticed.

♡ cullen rutherford, who participated in many tourneys representing himself. his experience gave him the upperhand against the nobles who had never even stepped foot on a battlefield.

♡ cullen rutherford, who asks for your favor. you smile cheekily and toss him the wreath of flowers. “may the maker smile upon you today.” he notices the wreath has daisies woven within it.

♡ cullen rutherford, who is assigned by your father to watch over you personally especially during the treaty signings. maker forbid something happened to you, the heir to the kingdom.

♡ cullen rutherford, who finds his love for you deepening, a love that has been building since he was a child and saw you all those years ago. he can’t help the smile that continues to form on his face. leliana and josephine are always pointing out his lovesick grin when you’re around.

♡ cullen rutherford, who continues to polish his chess skills. it drives you a little stir crazy that he has only beaten you. 10 to 0 is the current score. you’re determined to win at least one game.

♡ cullen rutherford, who finds you reading up on chess strategies and asking other people that have played him for advice on how to win. it amuses him and he decides to leave you alone.

♡ cullen rutherford, a man who feels pride when you finally beat him. you outmaneuvered him in almost every way. it was a little scary actually how you beat him.

♡ cullen rutherford, who meets you in the gardens at night. it’s just the two of you. alone. no one around. he could hear nothing but your breathing and his own and the gentle hum of insects.

♡ cullen rutherford, a boy who grew into a handsome man. the scar adorning his face added a charm to him. and his eyes were warm, gentle, inviting.

♡ cullen rutherford, whose touch put you at ease and made your skin flush. your heart would pound against your rib cage and it threatened to burst from your chest.

♡ cullen rutherford, who felt like forbidden fruit. you should be dallying someone of your status, someone born into nobility and with titles and lands. he was a man with neither (outside of his current titles, of course).

♡ cullen rutherford, who cupped your face gently. the two of you were so close. so very close. if you moved further just a little...

♡ cullen rutherford, a man surprised when he felt your lips against his. he suddenly couldn’t move, body frozen. he had become putty in your hands, maleable by your will.

♡ cullen rutherford, who kissed you back with such fervor that it felt like you were about to explode. with happiness of course.

♡ cullen rutherford, your lover. a secret affair you had to have. and sure, were you breaking your promise to your father to marry someone adequate? yes. but you knew what you felt and it would never be with any of the nobles that send proposals every day.

♡ cullen rutherford, who is content to be your lover in the shadows of the night. you were his liege. he wanted nothing to happen to you. he understood the responsibility on your shoulder.

♡ cullen rutherford, who always deflects from the rumors and questions surrounding him and his liege. people are talking. it wouldn’t be long before such whispers reached the greater nobility.

♡ cullen rutherford, who is surprised at your forwardness and openness during your name day ball. you ask him for a dance. openly. in front of all the suitors that had lined themselves up for you.

♡ cullen rutherford, who takes your hand and ignores the looks being sent his way, ignores the hushed whispers behind elegant masks and large hand fans.

♡ cullen rutherford, who utterly melts when you whisper to him, “i love you.”

♡ cullen rutherford, a man interrogated by your father because of the rumors of his liaison you. he gives vague answers that only further frustrate your father.

♡ cullen rutherford, a man saved when you enter the room and give your father clear answers. you are firm on your stance and on your love for cullen. he feels flutters in his heart watching you argue with your father. it appears you had become his knight in shining armor.

♡ cullen rutherford, a heroic knight-commander promoted to a member of the royal guard and now, your husband. he says his vows with enthusiasm and love. his whole body shakes with enthusiasm as he says, “i do.”

[thedreadfulwolf]

Dreadful's Dragon Age Bonanza

Because I definitely feel normal feelings about Dragon Age and needed Dreadwolf, like, yesterday, I've decided to read every book and play every game in chronological order while waiting for its release! Here's a list for me to keep track and for anyone else who may want to give it a whack!

The Stolen Throne

The Calling

Leliana's Song

Dragon Age: Origins (+ Stone Prisoner, Soldier's Peak, and Return to Ostagar).

Dragon Age Origins: Awakening

Dragon Age Origins: Golems of Amgarrak

Dragon Age Origins: Witch Hunt

Dragon Age II + DLC

The Silent Grove

Those Who Speak

Until We Sleep

Asunder

The Masked Empire

Dragon Age: Inquisition + Mage Killer

Inquisition: Jaws of Hakkon

Inquisition: The Descent

Blue Wraith

The Last Flight

Inquisition: Trespasser

Knight Errant

Deception

Tevinter Nights

Dark Fortress

The Missing

DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD

Let me know if you'd do it in a different order/why! And happy Dragon Age brainrotting!